Behind Red Eyes
by Xana100
Summary: A Gallade, traveling around the Sinnoh with two friends. A Gardevoir, wandering around aimlessly the Sinnoh, all alone. What kind of things'll happen when these two meet? Yo! This is my first real Fanfic that I'm trying to devote some time into. Just wanted to let you readers know. Probably updating weekly.
1. Ch 1: Bittersweet Morning

**Yo what's up guys? Xana here to welcome you to Behind Red Eyes! If you read my summary, ignore this part. For those who haven't, this is my first real Ff I'm trying to devote myself to. High school's a big pain in the ass, but I'll get through it. Now, without further ado, here's Behind Red Eyes!**

[? POV]

Atop of a tree, I was dozing off until the sun came up and glared in my eyes. I tightly clenched them before slowly opening them as I took in the view. Out in the distance was Mt. Coronet with the sun just a little above it, creating a beautiful scene. On a normal day, I'd appreciate the view and bask in all its glory... But, as I looked towards the sun, a frown slowly crept onto my face. Everything was eerily quiet until one word escaped my mouth. "Master..."

I took a few more seconds to gaze at the sunrise before I hopped down from the tree quietly and stretched a little. Just as I was about to turn around, a Sceptile hopped down from the same tree and landed next to me with an audible thud as it yawned loudly. I just sighed and scratched my head watching it do that. "Trace... Did you have to do that?"

The Sceptile, Trace, turned to me and chuckled as he patted me on the back, just missing my red spike. "Aw c'mon Gale, my Gallade friend. You scared of little ol' me?"

As I was patted on the back, I sighed again and then looked at Trace with a smirk. "Oh please, I can think of hundreds of other things that are scarier than you." Just then, I heard the faint tussling of sheets behind me and gulped. Quickly, I hopped back to the tree, grabbing branches and using them to boost myself back up to the branch I slept in. As I was climbing, Trace blinked as he looked up, wondering why I was going back up.

By the time I reached my branch and sat on it, I looked down and saw a Scrafty come out of a tent with an aggravated look on its face and a vein popping out of its forehead. Trace had turned to the Scrafty and gulped a little too, flinching when it shot a glare at him. He quickly rubbed his neck nervously with a nervous smile on his face as he spoke. "Heh heh... Er... Top of the mornin' to ya, Jill."

Jill, the Scrafty, twitched an eyebrow and cracked her knuckles and neck as she walked slowly towards Trace. She had a somber expression on her face. Her voice came out dark and mellow, making my spine tingle every time she spoke. "Trace... How many times have I told you to NEVER wake me up like that..."

Trace was visibly sweating now as he stepped back with each step Jill made towards him. He gestured Jill to calm down as he stepped back. "N-Now, now... It was an honest mistake."

Jill cracked her knuckles again, this time with her right fist glowing white. Trace backed up against the tree and quickly looked up at me with pleading eyes. I met his gaze and began to weigh my options. _"__Should I save him or let Jill punish him..." _I took a quick look at the situaion again: Jill was slowly walking towards Trace with a **Brick Break **and with one of the creepiest grins I've seen anyone make. Trace, on the other hand, was shaking with fear and looked like he was going to faint. It was probably my imagination, but I could've sworn I felt the tree vibrating.

Slowly, my stern face made way for the slightest of smirks. But that quickly transformed into an innocent smile and I gave him a short wave. His face paled and he looked like he was going to faint. I just kept on smiling and pointed down. His eyes widened and he gulped as he slowly turned back to Jill, who was now inches away from his face with a dark grin. "Top of the mornin', Trace."

Jill stretched with a smile on her face as she, Trace, and I walked along a dirt path towards Mt. Coronet. I supported Trace with my shoulder after he was punched hard in the gut. He was still conscious, but he occasionally groaned and winced as he rubbed his stomach area. "Ugh... Jill, lay off the Brick Break next time... I feel like crap..."

Jill crossed her arms and turned her head towards us as we kept walking, pouting. "Well I told you to _never_ interrupt my beauty sleep. I can get pretty cranky in the morning."

I nervously laughed and hefted Trace, making him groan in pain. "Jill, to be honest, I think you can take on a whole army when you're cranky..."

She sent me a glare, to which I flinched, before she turned her head forward and let out a short "Hmph" and increased her pace. I sighed and matched her pace, much to the discomfort of Trace.

After a good few hours of walking, we stopped to take a break near a river. Trace was laying down on the grassy ground, rubbing his stomach while I was sitting up next to him, rummaging through my bag. Jill was sitting across from us and drank from a canteen. After a few moments of silence between us, I finally managed to take out what I was looking for: an old, archaic-looking book. I opened it and began reading through the somewhat faded and yellowed pages. Jill and Trace looked at the book and stopped what they were doing, only to frown and look away.

Suddenly, I felt a change in energy behind me. It was pretty malicious. The other two didn't seem to realize it, so they gave me a curious look when I slowly put down my book and stared to the side. But when I charged a **Psychic **attack and my eyes and body glowed blue, they immediately understood and silently began charging their own attacks. Then, a Seviper leaped out of a bush a couple feet away from us with a **Poison Tail**. However, I managed to freeze it in place before it could lunge at me. I slowly got up and turned around to look at it. The Seviper struggled against its invisible restraints, but its efforts were in vain and it quickly tired itself out. It sent me a glare and spat, "Get the hell outta my territory!"

Trace got up, the pain from the Brick Break earlier probably mostly gone, and walked over to the Seviper with a frown. "Hey, relax there buddy... We just wanted to take a break. Is there anything wrong with that?"

The Seviper turned its glare to Trace and was about to retort, but stopped itself as it quickly glanced at the group. Its eyes narrowed as it made a disgusted look. "You guys have a trainer, don't you?" Trace and Jill flinched while I looked away. The Seviper caught it and narrowed its eyes even more while continuing its rant. "What a bunch of weaklings, falling to a dumb human. I bet your trainer's some sorta brat thinking he's top dog. Tch, I pity you... You bunch o-"

I was about to pummel the Seviper's face in or at least fling it hundreds of feet away. I could sense the same malice coming from Trace too. However, Jill beat us to the punch; she **Headbutted** the Seviper, getting a critical hit, which knocked it into a tree. The Seviper couldn't retaliate because she soon hopped onto it and made one of her fists glow.

The anger and hate poured out of her like a geyser and I knew she wouldn't stop there. She punched the Seviper three times with powerful **Rock Smashes** relentlessly, knocking it out almost instantly. She stayed on top of the Seviper, staring at it with hateful and tear-filled eyes until Trace walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. I felt the hate simmering down from both of them and, soon, sorrow took over. She immediately broke down crying and turned to hug Trace, who hugged her back. He looked downright depressed.

I, on the other hand, looked away and held my head down. That Seviper didn't know anything... We loved our trainer and he loved us back like we were his children. He was our mentor and our father... And he's dead, and has been dead for four years.

**It's a rather short chapter, I know... The others will probably be longer by at least 500 words, but they'll always be above 1000. Please, leave a review!**

**-Xana100**


	2. Ch 2: Chance Meeting

**Goooooooooooooooooood morning/evening/afternoon to those reading this chapter at whatever timezone y'all live in. Welcome to chapter 2 of Behind Red Eyes! Now, a few replies for my reviewers:**

**Mr. Spirt:**** Thanks man, that's great to hear!**

**EmeraldDragon1:**** I'm counting on you to pick out my mistakes, bro. And thanks for reviewing!**

**galladefenrir44:**** Thanks!**

**Now, before I get this show on the road, I'd like to thank my betareaders EmeraldDragon1 and galladefenrir44. Fenrir's **_**The Blade and The Embrace**_** was a huge influence to get me to make my own Ff on this wonderful pokemon couple, as were a couple of EmeraldDragon's stories. Be sure to check them out! And, without further ado, Enjoy!**

[? POV]

"Mmmn..." Slowly, I opened my eyes and put my left arm in front of them, blocking the incoming sunlight. I yawned and then looked down to see that I was sitting on a creaky wooden floor with a blanket over me. Having adjusted to the sun's rays, I took a good look around and took in my surroundings. I was in a one-room wooden cabin, and it looks like it's seen better days. The wood was all chipped and worn, the windows were broken, and there was barely any furniture around, minus a wooden table with my bag, two chairs, and a fireplace.

I stood up, tossing aside the blanket, ignoring the numb feeling on my ass, and walked over to the entrance of the cabin. I yawned as I walked outside, leaving the door open, and knelt down by a small river nearby the cabin. After taking a quick sip of the water, I cupped the cold water with my hands and splashed it all over my face. It was really refreshing and woke me up instantly. I splashed my face a few more times before I stopped and took a moment to look at my reflection.

Through it, I saw myself. A beautiful Gardevoir, though in a dire need for a bath. My green hair was curled like it's always been since my evolution, though a little frazzled from neglect and partially covering my left eye. There was a constant scowl on my face, to which I sighed at as I closed my eyes and got up.

It's been a year since I've been abandoned by my "trainer." Ever since then, I've been on the road, living a life of a nomad. Not that I mind; I prefer this life over the hell I went through. I was passed down as a Kirlia from my elderly and motherly caretaker, who has taken care of me since I was an egg, to her bratty, pushy grandson three years ago.

In his "care," I went through hell for two years, constantly doing crazy training without breaks, only to lose most of the battles I fought. This was always due to my trainer's constant bad decisions and whenever I do something right, which is usually against his orders, he chastized me and trained me harder than before. To make matters worse, his other pokemon treated me like an outsider. The nicest one of them all, in my opinion, flat out ignored me all the time.

I hated my trainer for pitting me against the odds and for being a total slave driver. I hated the rest of the team for putting me down and harassing me whenever they got the chance. But more importantly, I hated myself for letting them do that to me... Through the hellish training, I grew to be one of the strongest in the team. Of course, I hid my strength from everyone, mainly because I didn't want to help out that brat. But maybe... Maybe if I used my power to get back at them...

But before I delved any further, I quickly shook my head and slapped my face to get those thoughts away. "Snap out of it, Ann. That past is long gone..."

I looked up and saw dark clouds in the distance. I silently muttered a curse as I turned to look at the cabin I was staying in temporarily. It definitely needed to be rennovated as the rain and wind from the storm could easily get inside. There's no way I'm going to risk camping outside with this storm coming, and having the rain constantly hitting me inside the cabin won't let me get to sleep any sooner. I sighed and walked to the forest that was just a couple of seconds away from the cabin.

_"Sometimes I hate my life..."_

After hours of work, I was covered in grime, sweat, and wood shavings, but there was a smile on my face. I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself. I'm definitely no architect, but the cabin looks a lot better now. I more or less left the walls alone, only ripping apart the really bad parts and replacing it with wood from trees I managed to chop down using **Psychic** the whole time. It was exhausting and I had to repeat the process with the whole roof, which was agonizing; I had to take about 10 breaks before I managed to finish it. The windows were hopeless to fix, so I just used the bad wood and boarded them up as best as I could.

I took a good look up at the sky and saw that the clouds were closer than before. As if on cue, thunder boomed and I saw some lightning in the clouds. The storm was definitely going to hit by nightfall. Seeing as how nightfall would come in an hour or so, I quickly hopped into the river and began washing myself, smiling as I hummed a little tune while doing so. _"After I'm done washing, I'll have a feast with all the berries I found in the forest."_

Suddenly, I picked up some footsteps coming from the distance. It sounded like at least three humans were coming this way. I quickly hopped out of the river and shook myself dry before teleporting into the cabin, next to my bag. I used **Psychic** to pick up the blanket on the floor and folded it as I moved it towards me. I grabbed the blanket once it was close and stuffed it inside my bag, quickly zipping it as I made my way to one of the boarded-up windows. I knelt down and peeped through a hole to get a closer look at whoever was nearing the area.

[Gale's POV]

Jill, Trace, and I walked quietly for a bit after that Seviper incident. Jill feigned happiness, but I saw right past her ruse. Trace was still pissed, but he calmed down considerably since then. I, on the other hand, felt like crap. I figured that we would've gotten over our master's death by now, but knowing that he isn't coming back to us still hurts me from time to time. I sighed and looked at my hand as I formed a fist. _"C'mon Gale, don't beat yourself up... That Seviper doesn't know crap about us. Master lived a happy life... He wouldn't want to see us sad."_

As I was thinking to myself, thunder boomed behind us. I turned around to see dark clouds rather closeby. Trace and Jill did the same and Trace sighed before speaking. "Well gang, as much as I'd _love_ to sleep outside in a storm, let's find us some shelter. Fast."

Jill and I both nodded as we increased our pace while I took out a map from my bag. I unfurled it and began looking around for our current location. Once I found it, I frowned and told the news to the other two as I walked. "Well guys, I got bad news. The nearest town is up over Mt. Coronet. So, unless we find some kinda shelter fast, we're sleeping out in the storm."

Trace groaned and hopped onto a tree as I was putting away the map. He quickly jumped off a branch and began jumping his way past me and along the path. As I saw him jump ahead, I sighed and quickly gave chase. "Oi, Trace! Don't just go ahead like that!"

Jill also began running after Trace as she shouted, clearly irritated. "Dammit Trace! I don't wanna run!"

After a few seconds of me and Jill chasing after Trace, he suddenly stopped and hopped down from a branch. I blinked and went from running to slowly walking as I looked over his shoulder. There was a cabin, along with a bunch of wood and leaves lying around, which was unusual to say the least.

Jill quickly caught up with us and smacked Trace over the head, who quickly clutched the spot he was smacked on. "OW! What was that for?"

"For making me run, jackass!" Jill pouted and looked at where I was staring at and smiled. "A cabin, huh? It looks like someone rennovated it recently. I guess Arceus is looking out for us."

I only nodded as I walked forward, closing my eyes and sensing the area around us. I felt the presense of Jill and Trace behind me, but then I came upon something odd. Someone was inside the cabin, feeling anxious and wary. It doesn't seem like a wild pokemon, but I can't be too careful. I opened up a link between my mind and Trace's and Jill's minds and sent out a telepathic message. **_"Guys, be careful. I'm sensing someone inside the cabin."_**

Jill turned to me and responded. **_"Is it a trainer or is it a pokemon?"_**

**"****_I don't know... But it doesn't seem like he or she knows where we are. Let's keep our guards up, just in case, okay?" _**With that, I quietly used **Teleport** to get to the back of the cabin and began sneaking around to the front of the cabin. I kept a constant tab on the mystery pokemon's/human's emotions and it seemed to be the same. _"Good, I haven't been noticed yet." _I stopped midway and turned to my friends, seeing them eager to help. _**"**_**_You two stay there and leave this to me._****"**

I made it to the front of the cabin and went over my options. _"Let's see here... I _really_ don't want to do a surprise attack... Maybe I can negotiate with it...? Oh, wait... That's perfect!"_ Nodding with that thought, I closed my eyes and began glowing white. My glowing pokemon form slowly transformed and in a few seconds, the light faded. I slowly opened my eyes and gently knocked on the door, clearing my throat before I spoke. "Um... Hello? Is there somebody in there?"

[Ann's POV]

As I peeked out from the hole, I saw nothing but the path and the forest. _"Odd... I definitely know I heard something." _I stayed there for a good half a minute before sighing. Then, I slapped myself on the head. _"How could I forget about my psychic powers!"_ Slowly, I began to loosen up and closed my eyes to sense for any living being nearby.

However, I was interrupted by a gentle knock on the door. My eyes opened and shot up, turning to the door. A soft, male voice came from the other side. "Um... Hello? Is there somebody in there?"

I slowly made my way over to the door, assessing my options as I did so. _"Okay, so there's someone outside. If it's a trainer, then I have to negotiate with him. Not much else I can do. Too dead tired to even _think_ of firing a __**Confusion**__..."_ I reached the front of the door and sighed, opening it and hoping for the best.

There, I saw a human, but he looked rather... Different. He had messy green hair, a green much like mine, with a turquoise line running down the middle. He had a green collared vest that stopped at around his stomach area and had sleeves extending to his wrists, along with a white undershirt. He had on gray jeans and turquoise converse-like shoes. He also had a necklace with a small red gem hanging from his neck, as well as green fingerless gloves. But what caught my interest the most were his eyes. They were scarlet red, which was very uncommon among humans.

I didn't notice him flinch as I couldn't help but gaze into his eyes. They seemed to hold a mix of emotions. But before I could decipher his emotions, he turned away and scratched his cheek with a blush as he spoke in English. "Um... Well this is awkward..."

I blinked and then blushed, thinking that he saw me staring at him intently. I turned away from him and before I could think, I nervously replied in my native tongue. "O-Oh... Sorry."

Surprisingly, he chuckled and scratched the back of his head as he turned towards me again. "What're you sorry for? I should be the one saying sorry." He then flinched and muttered a curse as he looked away.

It was then I realized what just happened and quickly hopped back, eyes glowing blue as I prepared a **Psychic**, ignoring my tiredness. No human should be able to understand pokemon language. Even though I senese no malice from the "human," I can't be too careful. "Who are you and what do you want?"

[Gale's POV]

I thought this plan would be foolproof. Then I just _had_ to blow it. _"There goes my plan. And it looks like I'm gonna have to reveal my secret to her. Note to self, think before speaking next time..."_ I closed my eyes and ruffled my hair as I let out an aggravated sigh. "Jeez... Me and my big mouth. And I was planning on keeping this a secret..."

I opened one eye and saw the Gardevoir shooting a glare towards me, preparing a **Psychic** attack. She looked tired and it seemed like she would drop at any given moment. I sighed again and took a step forward. She took a step back and I frowned. I figured she would be surprised by the fact that a human could understand her, but she's pretty suspicious of me. _"Oh boy... She's not giving me much of a choice here..."_

Seeing as how I couldn't weasel my way out of this mess, I quickly used **Teleport** while I was in my human form and I appeared behind the Gardevoir. She flinched and quickly glanced to her sides. I closed my eyes and whispered something before I used my right hand to chop the back of her neck, making her lose consciousness.

"Sorry..."

**Yo. Did you all enjoy? I got nothing special to say so, as always, favorite, follow, review, blah blah blah.**


	3. Ch 3: Awkward Introduction

**Hello there readers! I apologize for the late update. I got no excuses, 'cuz I just completely forgot. And, sorry, but this is probably one of my shorter chapters... My bad. Now... All you followers, thank you for showing interest in my story!**

**EmeraldDragon1:**** Aight, will do bro.**

**Milcatopy:** **If you're talking to me, no. This is my second story. However, this is the first story that I'm attempting to actually go through with. The other one was just... Well... I'll see what'll happen.**

**Without further ado, here's Chapter 3.**

[Ann's POV]

_As I opened my eyes, I glanced around. I was in a very decorated room. The walls were red and there was a window opposite of me with thin curtains draping them, keeping the room bright, but blocking the view outside. As I looked at the floor, there were dolls everywhere, as well as a rather huge bed that a princess from one of those fairy tales would sleep in on one side. The floor was carpeted and felt so soft as I rubbed it with my... Wait... Wha..._

_I quickly got up and walked over to a mirror, only to stare and wonder what had happened. My hair was in something similar to pigtails, with two red fin-like horns jutting from my head. I was a lot shorter too and my gown-like bottom turned into a tutu. There was no way this was happening... I was back to being a Kirlia..._

_Then, there was a knock on the door. Slowly, it opened and someone walked in. My head snapped to the door and my eyes widened. An elderly human woman was standing there. She was quite short and was a little hunched over. Her snow white hair was held in a bun and her face radiated the sort of calming and energetic aura a child would produce, despite all the wrinkles. She had on a purple robe and used a cane to balance herself as she looked at me with a tender gaze and smile. "So little one, how are you today?"_

_I couldn't bring myself to stop staring at her. This had to be a dream; as much as I didn't want it to be, this had to be a dream. There's no way someone who's been dead for three years can come back to life. But apparently, my mind likes to play tricks on me as the old lady's face contorted to a look of worry and concern as she neared me. "What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"_

_I just stood there, looking at my caretaker since birth. I gulped and opened my mouth as I tried to-_

**BOOM!**

I snapped my eyes open and breathed short and jagged breaths. _"Eh...? Oh... So it really _was _just a dream..."_ Sadly, I took a look around. I was back inside the wooden cabin and and it seemed like the storm had begun as rain poured on the cabin. But it didn't seem that cold... Then, I realized; there was a fire crackling in the fireplace. Quickly, I tried to get up. Key word being 'tried,' as the only I did was wiggle around a bit. I felt something tight restricting my whole body. I couldn't move. Panicking, I thrashed around, which seemed to grab the attention of someone nearby. I turned to see who it was, only to meet the gaze of a pair of scarlet red eyes.

I stared into them for a moment, but didn't get a chance to observe the person very well as a male voice called out. "Hey Gale, is she awake now?"

I snapped out of my little trance and saw that this "Gale" was actually a Gallade. Gale turned to where the voice was coming from and replied back. "Yeah, she's awake."

As they talked, I continued staring at him, thinking about those red eyes of his, and his voice. They all seemed familiar, but I couldn't remember from where. When he turned to me, he noticed me looking at him. Gale looked away and scratched his cheek while he blushed. Things were silent for a few moments until Gale cleared his throat and spoke up while averting his gaze. "Um... I'm... Sorry about what happened earlier... Didn't mean to... Y'know..."

At first, I blinked a few times out of confusion. _"Earlier? What happened earlier?"_ I tilted my head to the side, until something finally clicked. That pose... That voice... Those eyes... It couldn't be_..._ I gulped and weakly whispered, "So you were the 'human' that knocked me out...?"

Gale flinched at my guess and sighed before turning back to me. He had a dumb grin on his face as he nervously scratched the back of his head. "Hahaha... Looks like I've been caught."

I just stayed perfectly still as thoughts began racing through my mind. _"Arceus... How's that... That 'human' was really a Gallade? How can that be?! I only thought Zouras and Zoroarks can do stuff like that!" _Seeming to sense my inner turmoil, Gale sighed and leaned over me. I didn't even notice that whatever was wrapped around me was unwound until Gale playfully tapped my head with his fist. I blinked and looked up towards him as he chuckled. "You usually space out this often?"

I blushed a little and turned away from him. "Hmph. And I thought you Gallades were supposed to be gentlemen."

Gale just laughed at that and I couldn't help but chuckle with him. Something about him makes me feel... At ease, but I don't know what...

[Gale's POV]

Mentally, I had signalled for Trace and Jill to come down once I knocked the Gardevoir unconscious. They were surprised to say the least when they saw that it was a Gardevoir who was inside the cabin and not a human. Jill took out some rope and began tying the Gardevoir up, muttering something about Psychic-types.

By the time the storm came, the three of us had gotten comfy inside the cabin. I had started a fire by getting some wood from outside and igniting it inside the fireplace with a **Fire Punch.** Trace had managed to bring in a bunch of berries and other fruits before the storm came, but it seemed as though the Gardevoir had collected quite a bit beforehand. We feasted for a bit, still having a lot left over and Jill decided to take a 'beauty nap' near the fire. Trace had taken out the red scarf our master had given him and stared at it as he sat near the fire. I took the other seat and took out the book our master left me, reading from where I left off.

However, I couldn't bring myself to read as I turned to the unconscious Gardevoir next to me. This Gardevoir is really... Different from those I've seen. Normally they'd be all cheery and happy, but this one... She seems to hold a sort of unease. Even as she was dreaming I felt it. Whatever she went through must've been tough. And those stares... Every time she stares at me, I can't help but stare back. Her red eyes especially. I can literally read her emotions through them, but they always seem to hide something. "_Though I must admit, she is rather beautif-"_

My train of thought was suddenly derailed by her wiggling and thrashing about. I closed my book and put it on the chair before going over to the Gardevoir and kneeling down next to her. Then came the staring. I can't say I hate it, but it can get a little... Unnerving after a bit. Thankfully, Trace saved me.

I turned away to answer back, but she was still staring at me when I faced her again. Then, I noticed her facial features. Her green hair was pretty much the same as the other Gardevoir's, but a little longer in the front, covering most of her left eye. Her face was as white as porcelain, but that's all I really got before I turned away and blushed. _"I really, _really _hope she doesn't sense my emotions. C'mon Gale, think! New subject, new subject..."_

I cleared my throat and began speaking softly whatever came to mind first. "Um... I'm... Sorry about what happened earlier... Didn't mean to... Y'know..."

It seemed to take a while for the Gardevoir to process, but it seemed as though she understood. "So you were the 'human' that knocked me out...?"

My fear was confirmed. I put on a grin and scratched the back of my head nervously as I answered back. "Hahaha... Looks like I've been caught."

Then came the inner turmoil. I sighed and leaned over to where Jill had tied her knot. I tugged on it a few times and it came loose. Quickly, I unwound the Gardevoir, but it seemed as though she was still too deep in thought. I couldn't help but chuckle at this and bonked her gently on the head with my fist. "You usually space out this often?"

She blushed at my comment and turned away before retaliating. "Hmph. And I thought you Gallades were supposed to be gentlemen."

Now _that_ I had to laugh at. I've seen quite a few Gallades before. Half of them weren't even _close_ to being 'gentle,' much less being 'men.' And it seemed as though I got her to laugh with me. Looks like she can make and take jokes too.

All of a sudden, a thought crossed my mind. I stopped laughing and turned to the Gardevoir. "Say, what's your name? My name's Gale and the other two behind me are Trace and Jill." I pointed to Trace and Jill, Trace waving back and Jill still sleeping.

The Gardevoir looked at all three of us and put on a small smile before introducing herself. "My name is Ann. Pleased to meet you all."

I smiled and started to inquire her more until something rumbled. I turned to the ceiling and frowned. It sure didn't sound like thunder. When I turned back to Ann, her face was beet red and she was staring down to the ground. When it all clicked, I covered my mouth with my hand to stilfe a laugh, but Trace was relentless and he fell off his chair, laughing his ass off. Ann glared at Trace and then back to me with a deep blush and an embarrassed frown. I managed to keep the laughter down and took a deep breath before getting up and offering her my hand with a smile on my face. "C'mon, let's eat."

Ann stopped frowning and looked at my hand. After a moment, she smiled and nodded as she took my hand. "Okay."

**You guys like? I'll try and warn you all about what's gonna happen about my updates and stuff when I post up a chapter. That, or you can always check my profile. Now, review, favorite, follow, do whatever pleases you. You can do nothing at all, but what's the fun in that? :D**


	4. Ch 4: Farewell

**Blargh... I'm really tired so I got nothing much to say...**

**Youwillneverknow:**** Yep. Because that story was what influenced me to make this. Hopefully you like this just as much.**

**And a big thanks to all of you who favorite and follow this story. Now enjoy chapter 4!**

[Gale's POV]

After all of us feasted on berries and fruits, except Jill who was now in a deep sleep, Trace decided to hit the hay and lay down next to Jill, crossing his arms behind his head before dozing off. I, on the other hand, stayed seated on one of the two chairs while Ann sat on the other one. We were facing each other, the only thing between us being the table. I had both hands on my stomach, my head tilted up to the ceiling as I let nature take its course. Ann was pretty much in the same position as I was and all was silent, except for the fire crackling in the fireplace.

That is, until I heard a small burp. I lazily lifted my head and looked at Ann with a quirked eye. She looked away from me and toward the fireplace, face slightly red. It's probably just the fire, but beyond the embarrassed look on her face and her jumbled up emotions, she seemed a lot calmer than she was when she first met us.

I chuckled, which brought her attention back to me, but then my stomach started grumbling. I knew what was coming, so I quickly turned away and let out the gnarliest belch I've ever released in my entire life. It came like thunder and lasted for a solid two seconds. And I gotta say, that felt awesome. I almost forgot about Ann until she went into a giggle fit.

I turned back to Ann and grinned before speaking to her in a playful tone. "You liked that?"

She calmed down from her giggling and wiped a tear off from her eye before answering back in an equally playful tone. "Bet I can do better."

My grin remained on my face as I patted my now-satisfied stomach and leaned back a little on the chair. "I doubt it. I think Trace can beat us all, with Jill as a close second."

She blinked and turned to the sleeping Sceptile and Scrafty, then back to me with a bewildered look that just screamed "You're joking, right?" I smirked and shook my head back in response.

Ann took a moment to let that fact sink in and could only chuckle to herself and shake her head too. We shared an easy, but slightly, awkward silence, after both of us stared into the fire. My eyes occasionally shifted to the left, taking a quick glance of Ann before darting back to the fire again. With each glance, I took in more of Ann's appearance. She looked as though she went through quite a journey. Despite that, she looked really nice with the lighting the fire provided. I felt a slight blush creep onto my face after what had to be the fifth time I looked at her. I felt my heart beat faster with each passing moment, but I quickly gave myself a mental slap. _"Am I falling for her? No... We just met a few hours ago. But..."_

Then, it happened. As I stole a glance to Ann, she did so at the same time. We had both caught each other in the act. Things just became more awkward as we blushed and looked away from each other completely. My mind was racing, but then again, it has been racing ever since the Seviper incident. Yeah, I was tired and needed some shut-eye. I sighed as I got up from the chair and stretched, feeling the blood from my face rush back down to my body. My voice was laced with exhaustion as I spoke. "Well... Today was crazy... I think I'm gonna hit the hay now... G'night Ann."

Ann smiled and yawned a little too. "Good night, sweet dreams."

I smiled back and plopped down near one of the walls, leaning back onto it and letting sleep overcome me.

[Ann's POV]

I don't know what to make of these three pokemon. They all seem so nice, but I know that they're hiding _something._ Be it womanly instinct or psychic powers, I can feel that there's something I don't know about. I _would_ delve into their minds, but that's not right. Well, that and I really can't do it. The damn brat of a trainer made me more of a shield than a real attacker, so I've been out of tune with my psychic powers since then, even with all the secret training I put myself through.

But these thoughts didn't last long as I peered over to where Jill and Trace were lying down. They look so adorable like that, lying down next to each other and sleeping. I couldn't help but smile at that. It's almost like one of the stories my old caretaker used to tell me about her and her lover when they were young. All of a sudden, her voice began ringing in my head with something she had told me countless times before. _"That's the beauty of young love, my sweet Annabelle. I hope you find such a love as well, my little angel..."_

I almost shed a tear when the voice stopped. Instead, I closed my eyes and sighed, shaking myself free from the depressing thoughts that plagued me since the day she died. _"C'mon Ann, snap out of it... She wouldn't want to see you depressed, right?"_

That's when I looked down at Gale, who was sitting down on the floor and leaning against the wall, sleeping soundly. Gale. The shapeshifting Gallade. Or was he a human that can transform into a Gallade? I kept these thoughts at the back of my mind as I stared at him. The fire crackling in the background created a mellow atmosphere around us, which made him look all the more handso- Wait, handsome?!

For what seemed to be the umpteenth time today, I shook my head to get rid of these thoughts. I turned away from Gale, blushing madly as I tried to cool down. _"Okay, calm down... It's... It's probably just your hormones kicking in. Yeah, that's it..."_

I slowly shifted my head towards him and ended up staring at him again. From a quick glance, he was just your ordinary Gallade. But as I looked closer, he had such an innocent face, much like one of a child's. I took a look around and found my bag in the corner where I had been tied up. I quietly floated my way there and picked it up, taking out my blanket. I levitated over to Gale and gently plopped my feet back onto the ground, kneeling next to him to drape the blanket over him. He shifted around a little before smiling, which made me giggle a little.

Then, I perked my ears. The rain had stopped. I took a quick look at Jill and Trace, who were still adorably sleeping next to each other, before I looked back at Gale. I smiled sadly and used **Psychic** to bring my bag over to be. When I grabbed it, I sighed and got up, still looking down at Gale's sleeping figure before softly speaking. "I'm sorry..." And with that, I quietly left the cabin.

**Short, yes, but whatever. You're all in for a treat with my longest chapter yet next week. And with that, it's time for me to hit the hay... Y'all know the drill. Review, favorite, follow... PM me if you want to. I'm more than happy to hear from you.**


	5. Ch 5: Escape and Return

**Good Sunday everybody! Now, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but... Pretty soon, I have APs to take. It's basically a huge bunch of tests. I gotta study pretty damn hard for them so I may not come out with a chapter next week. ...Or the week after. It'll all be over by the middle of May, so don't worry too much!**

**EmeraldDragon1:**** Nah, it's all good.**

**Oh, and by the way... If there are any of you out there who're wondering how I get my chapter names, I have no freaking clue. Your guess is as good as mine. They just pop outta nowhere. But I digress. Here it is, Chapter 5!**

[Ann's POV]

This... was probably the worst decision I've ever made in my entire life. While the storm may have passed, the night was pretty cold. The blanket I used to tuck Gale under was the only thing I had to warm myself with. The moon was covered by the still lingering clouds, which made me as blind as a Zubat. The ground was wet and nasty, so I had to resort to levitating, which can get irritating if I have to do it for an extended period of time. Thankfully, I haven't come across any hostile, wild pokemon, most likely because the pokemon in the forest were taking shelter from the recent storm and fell asleep. To make things even better, I knew **Flash**, which brightened up my surroundings considerably.

By now, about half an hour passed since I left the cabin, and, I have to say, I made a decent amount of progress. I stopped under a tree to take a break and closed my eyes as I breathed slowly, letting my **Flash **dissipate. Using my psychic powers, I created a mental image of the surrounding area, multiple energy signals popping up as I extended the image. As I figured, the wild pokemon were either underground, inside the trees, or under some sort of cover and asleep. From what seemed like about a few hundred feet behind me were Gale and his companions in the cabin. None of them were moving, so they had to be asleep.

Suddenly, I sensed something rushing towards me at a rather alarming speed. My eyes snapped wide open as I broke the mental image. Then, I saw a Mightyena with its eyes locked onto me as it ran towards me. Instinctively, I sidestepped, causing the Mightyena to collide head-on into the tree I was leaning against, instantly knocking it out and forming a huge indent on the tree itself. It took me a moment to process what just happened, but I didn't get the luxury of time as I heard a voice off in the distance. Quickly, I used **Psychic** to help me levitate myself up off the ground and onto a tree branch, where I sat to see who or what was coming this way.

After a couple of seconds, a human male teen went over to the Mightyena and knelt next to it. He seemed to take out what looked like a disgusting green root and put it inside the mouth of the Mightyena. A few moments later, the Mightyena quickly stood up and looked like it was about to gag. I irked as I understood what the poor Mightyena was going through. _"Poor thing... Those 'Revival Herbs' are beyond nasty..."_

But my pity soon changed to annoyance as the Mightyena took a look up at the branch and growled at me. I narrowed my eyes at it, but it was too late. The trainer looked at his pokemon for a moment before following its gaze and spotted me. My heart stopped for a moment; I did _not_ want to get caught again. My last trainer kind of tarnished my view on trainers in general, and it's going to take a _lot_ of convincing to get me to change that view. I kept my gaze steady on the trainer as a single thought ran through my head:_ "Arceus, please help me." _Unfortunately for me, the trainer smiled and reached for a pokeball on his belt. _"...Oh you have _got _to be kidding me."_

I quickly concentrated my energy into my palms and clenched my eyes tightly as I thrust my hands outward, creating a huge and spontaneous **Flash**. When I heard the Mightyena whimper and the trainer cry out, I jumped off of the branch and used **Psychic** on myself to levitate more quickly away from the trainer and, unknowingly, back towards the cabin.

[Gale's POV]

_My eyes slowly cracked open to a blank, white void. As I looked around, there was nothing but white and more white. And yet I still stood on what seemed like solid ground. Weird. Cautiously, I took a step forward; nothing happened. After a few moments, I began walking forward. I walked for what seemed like minutes, but I was still surrounded by the white emptiness around me. Then, if it were possible, the white around me intensified and made me stop right in my tracks and close my eyes. Eventually, the white flash died out and, as I opened my eyes, the white was no more and I was in a place I'd never thought I'd be coming back to in a while..._

_Just a couple of feet in front of me was a two-story, pagoda-like building with yellow walls and grey protruding roofs, with two sakura trees on either side, both bare and without petals. When I turned around and looked down, I saw a long line of stairs leading down to the base of the plateau I was currently on. I paled a little (if that were even possible) as I looked down and backed up a bit, tripping over a rock and landing on my butt. I gulped and began hyperventilating as my old fear rose from the depth of my mind. Heights have and probably always will scare the living crap out of me._

_I meticulously got up, fearing the ground would crumble away and leave me falling. When I got up, I gently tapped the ground with my right foot, sighing in relief. Shortly after, I heard an old voice cackle behind me. Out of instinct, I extended my blades and turned to the person that was behind me. But what I saw left me standing there, gawking._

_It was an elderly human male, with dark brown eyes and a big grin on his slightly wrinkled face. He had a full head of short white hair, as well as sideburns that attached his hair to his mustache and beard. He wore a simple blue kimono that showed off his surprisingly muscular build and wooden sandals. His arms were crossed and he began walking towards me as he grinned. I couldn't move an inch. In fact, I didn't even bother moving. My mind was filled with so many thoughts, but a simple, firm grip on my shoulder shook me out of it. When I looked up, I saw the old man look at me intently with what seemed like... Pride?_

_Things were silent between us and the only thing that dared to make a sound was the gentle breeze that glided past us. My mouth became dry and my eyes teared up as I quietly spoke one word. "M... Master?"_

_The old human teared up too and suddenly brought me into a huge bear hug, my red spike nearly stabbing him in the gut. His grip was strong, but gentle at the same time. Little teardrops began dripping from my chin as I reciprocated the hug. The old man sniffed once before breaking the hug and putting both his hands on my shoulders. Tears were running down his face too, but he didn't bother wiping them away before closing his eyes and speaking. "Gale. You've grown so much... Unfortunately, this is all the time we have for now... 'Til we meet again, young one..."_

_He released his grip on my shoulders and slowly turned around, walking towards the building, walking to the home I grew up in. Suddenly, the whole area behind me began crumbling away. I panicked and began chasing after him. But no matter how much I ran, he was getting further away. Then he turned around with a sad smile before mouthing something. My eyes widened as I stopped running, allowing myself to fall into the darkness..._

"_Be happy, Gale. For your sake and for the others'."_

I quickly opened my eyes and leaned forward, breathing short and jagged breaths as my hand gripped the blanket that covered me. I surveyed the area quickly and saw that I was back in the cabin. Trace and Jill were laying next to each other by the fire and nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. My breathing calmed down and I closed my eyes, sighing. "_It was just a dream. But it felt so real... _Too_ real..."_ I opened my eyes again and stared down at the blanket covering my legs. "_Huh... Blanket? Since when..."_

I looked up and took another look around the cabin before my eyes widened. Ann wasn't here. I quickly scrambled up and ran towards the door, opening it without abandon, and rushed outside, only to stop a couple of feet in front of the cabin and shifting my eyes from side to side. "_Ann, where did you go?"_

All of a sudden, I felt a surge of energy come from the right of the cabin, along with a flash of light. "_That energy..." _I quickly turned towards the source of the light and began sprinting while concentrating my psychic powers towards that area. There, I sensed Ann running towards me, as well as two others. I clenched my teeth before stopping and forcing open a channel between my mind and Ann's. _**"Ann! What the hell's going on!?"**_

There was a slight pause before I heard Ann's voice ring in my head, her voice scared and frantic. _**"G-Gale?! How did you-"**_

"_**Never mind that! Tell me what's going on!"**_

"_**I got a trainer and his Mightyena chasing me right now, that's what!"**_

I flinched a little and muttered a few curses. "_For the love of..." _I pushed away my anger and concentrated back at the matter at hand. _**"Alright, listen! Keep running towards me and get behind me! I'll take care of this..."**_ I closed my eyes and breathed deeply before glowing white.

[Ann's POV]

"_Eh? Get behind him? What's he-"_ Suddenly, an **Ice Beam** whizzed right over my head, almost making me lose control of my levitation. But I kept my **Psychic** steady and continued hovering forward as I turned around to see my assailant. There, I saw the trainer in the distance, as well as his Mightyena. Alongside the Mightyena was a Weavile who looked rather pissed. I gulped, turning my head forward and clenching my eyes shut as I cried out in my mind. _"__**GALE!"**_

"**_AGH! Tone it down a little! You're almost there, okay? Just a little more!"_**

I felt and saw another **Ice Beam **fly a little to my left, freezing a good chuck of the poor tree that was there. I quickly put all my power into the **Psychic** and pushed myself right past the forest and out into the clearing where the cabin was. There, I saw Gale in his human form. He looked like he was about to rush into the forest and flinched when he saw me fly out. By that time, my eyesight went hazy and the last thing I remembered was landing into his soft but sturdy arms before passing out.

[Gale's POV]

As I caught Ann, I fell back with her and ungracefully landed right on my ass. I winced a little, but quickly ignored the pain to look down at her and check for any injuries. She was covered in dirt and a little bit of mud, but other than that, she was fine. Thankfully, her spike had missed my chest, which was now flat as I was in my human form. I smiled as I brought up one of my hands and caressed her cheek, brushing off some mud with my thumb. "And here I thought Trace was the crazy one..."

Then, I heard footsteps coming in fast. I narrowed my eyes at the direction Ann came from and slowly brought myself up, carrying Ann bridal style. Pretty soon, a Mightyena and a Weavile hopped out, quickly looking side to side as a male human teen joined them. The teen copied his pokemon, looking around until he saw me and Ann. He jogged up to me and gave a short greeting. "Hey there."

"Hey." I took a good look at the trainer and analyzed every detail I could. He was rather tall, probably about 5 feet and 10 inches, much like my height as a human. He had bedhead-like black hair and carefree brown eyes. He wore a sleeveless gray hoodie with a blue t-shirt, as well as beige cargo pants and blue and white sneakers. Looking closely, he had a belt on with four shrunken pokeballs filling up six of the slots.

The said trainer suddenly snapped a few fingers in front of my face, startling me. "Hey man, you alright? You looked kinda out of it."

I nervously laughed and grinned as I tried to weasel my way out of this. "O-Oh, I'm fine... Just need some rest."

"Ah, I see." His gaze then went down do Ann, who was now napping in my arms. He pointed at her and looked up to me before he spoke again. "So this Gardevoir's with you?"

I hesitated to answer back, not knowing how to react to the sudden question. _"C'mon Gale, improvise..." _I just nodded, which made the trainer sigh and scratch his head. "Aw man! Just when I thought things were looking up for me."

Things turned awkward for me as the trainer just crossed his arms and closed his eyes, apparently deep in thought. I took a look over to where the Mightyena and Weavile were and saw them come close to their trainer. The Weavile tugged on its trainer's shirt, yawning, and the Mightyena followed suit. He opened his eyes and looked down at his two pokemon and chuckled, petting the two before turning back to me. "Well, sorry for chasing after your Gardevoir, er..."

"Just call me Gale."

"Gale? That's a unique name. Well pleased to meet'cha Gale. My name's Tobi."

I couldn't help but smirk at that. I used one arm to carry Ann, which was rather difficult, and extended the other to Tobi as I spoke. "Tobi's pretty unique too, y'know."

Tobi laughed and took my hand, gripping it tighter than I expected and shook it. "Haha, yeah, you're right."

Pretty soon, the Mightyena began wimpering and the Weavile looked like it was getting grumpier. If the Weavile was anything like Jill, I'd do the smart thing and let it sleep. I shifted Ann in my arms a bit to get a better grip and unconsciously let out a yawn. "Ahh... Well, I think we oughta hit the hay... Looks like your Weavile's ready to kill somebody for some sleep."

Tobi turned to look at his Weavile, who shot him a cold glare, and chuckled nervously. "Yeah, you're right... Well, I guess I'll be seeing you later then. Bye." He turned around and headed back into the forest, turning around to wave as he disappeared into it with his pokemon close behind him.

**( The Next Morning... )**

[Ann's POV]

My eyes fluttered open to a sloped wooden wall which was the ceiling. My head was hurting and pounding like crazy. I groaned and rubbed my aching head with my right hand. Slowly, I put my other hand on the floor to lift my body up. Head still aching, I looked around and found myself back in the cabin. The sun was fully out, but that wasn't what caught my attention; I found myself being stared at by Gale and his two friends.

The trio were at the table, apparently discussing something very important. Jill, who was sitting on the left, stared at me with an annoyed look on her face, but my senses picked up a slight tinge of worry coming from her. Trace, sitting on the opposite side, flashed a small and understanding smile. Gale, on the other hand, was standing behind the table with his hands on it, keeping a poker face as he got off the table and made his way towards me.

I gulped a little as he knelt down and clenched my eyes shut, expecting the worst. Instead, all I got was a bonk on the head. Now don't get me wrong, it still hurt a LOT, but it wasn't what I expected. I clutched the area I was hit on and yelped in pain.

Trace's voice came pretty soon after I yelped. I could picture him wincing as he spoke. "Ouch... Damn Gale, that fist of yours is no joke."

Next, Jill's voice rang out with a slight accent. "Oh grow a pair, Trace. She should be thankful _I_ ain't the one dishin' out the punishment."

I slowly looked up, still rubbing my head, only to look straight into Gale's red eyes. Inwardly, I cursed as I quickly turned away and blushed. "_Why the hell am I getting so flustered around him?!" _While I was in my own thoughts, Gale chuckled and began patting the place he had hit. I stiffened a little from the sudden contact, which Gale seemed to notice as he stopped patting my head. Things were silent between the two of us, while Trace and Jill seemed to be arguing about "being a man" or something like that.

After a moment or two of silence between me and Gale, I got up slowly, my body aching a little as I managed to stand up straight. I wobbled a little, but Gale was quick to help as he shot up and steadied me. He turned to Trace and gestured for him to move, which he did. He slowly got me over to the now empty seat, where I plopped down and sighed. Gale cleared his throat, which made the other two stop bickering and pay attention. "Alright guys, now that everyone's here, I got some news."

Trace was the first to speak out as he munched on an apple he had gotten while I was asleep. "News? Just news? What, no good or bad?"

To this, Gale just crossed his arms and shrugged. "Depends on how you take it. But first thing's first..." He turned his head and looked at me with a straight face. Pretty soon, the other two looked at me with questioning gazes. "Ann, do you want to travel with us?"

**And there you have it folks! Y'all like it so far? Any questions, comments, or concerns can come to me through PM or reviews.**


	6. Ch 6: Long Day

**Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... I sincerely apologize for the long delay. For those well-acquainted with the dreaded AP, you (hopefully), would let this one month of no updates slide. I still have two more and after that... Well... Projects and finals. But have no fear! I will still update, if not weekly, then monthly. Maybe every other week. Let's just see how things go, shall we?**

**Youwillneverknow:**** Is your name a challenge? If so, I hereby accept it. As for your question of length... I don't know. We'll see. And my little speech above this should answer your second question.**

**I thank you all for reading this and reviewing and favoriting and following and why am I using so many "ands?" I appreciate all your reviews, but I will only reply ones with actual questions. Without further ado, Chapter 6!**

[Ann's POV]

"...Eh?" I just sat there, looking at Gale like he had two heads. He wanted me to travel with him? I turned to Trace, who stared at me expectantly. Jill had a light scowl on her face, but her eyes shone with just as much curiosity as the others'. _"I can't believe it... They actually want me to join them?"_

I looked away from all three of them and stared at the floor. My mind was all over the place; one part was practically screaming for me to say yes while the another was saying no. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to think about it as Gale's voice broke the silence that took over. "Crap... He's here already..."

Gale used **Psychic** to bring his bag towards him and took out something that I never would've expected a pokemon to carry around: a pokeball. Trace and Jill both narrowed their eyes, but Trace was the one to speak up this time. "A run-in with a trainer, huh?" Gale nodded and Jill sighed. She then grabbed her own bag that was leaning against her chair and took out another pokeball.

My mind was already a mess at this point, but this... What the hell is going on?! As if a transforming Gallade wasn't enough, now they carried around pokeballs?! _"Arceus... What's going on...?" _I looked at the three pokemon with a newfound fear and involuntarily gulped. Gale must've heard this since he turned to me and scratched his cheek with a frown on his face. "Yeah... Uh, this isn't what it looks like... I promise I'll explain everything. Trust me."

Jill tossed the shrunken ball towards Gale and he caught it with ease. I heard a groan and turned to Trace, who was grimacing. "Man... I do _not_ like that ball. It's way too cramped in there." Jill sighed again and crossed her arms, nodding. "I feel ya, Trace. But what can we do? 's best we be careful."

Then, a bright white light began emitting from where Gale was and I quickly turned around, seeing Gale's shining Gallade outline slowly conform into a more human one. Soon, the light dissipated and Gale was standing in the same human form he was in when I first met him. His eyes were closed, but he soon opened them and looked at Trace and Jill, who both nodded. He nodded back and expanded the two pokeballs in his hands. He pointed the pokeballs to the two and recalled them, turning them into a red light that went back inside the pokeballs.

And his timing couldn't have been better as someone began knocking on the door. _"Probably the trainer Trace was talking about..."_ Gale looked at me and motioned for me to stay seated as he walked over to the door. He opened it and greeted whoever was out there. He invited the person in and, lo and behold, it was the same exact trainer who tried to catch me last night.

I couldn't help but toss a nasty glare at the trainer and he seemed to notice it. He flinched and turned away from my glare, sticking his hands inside his pockets like it was chilly in the cabin. Gale, on the other hand, laughed and patted him on the back. I was incredulous as to why he would be so friendly to a trainer, so I sent him a mental message. _**"You owe me a **_**lot**_** of information, buddy."**_

He received it and replied back as he conversed with the trainer. _**"Later. I promise."**_

I huffed and crossed my arms, turning away from the two, tuning them out while I tried to process everything that I learned in the past couple of minutes.

[Gale's POV]

"_Jeez... This is gonna be a long day..."_ I just knew that this trainer, Tobi, was going to come to us. And Ann probably has a shit ton of questions to ask me and the gang. I sighed as I tried to push those thoughts away, but they still sat in my mind. _"Yep. Definitely gonna be a long day..."_

Tobi caught my sigh and quirked an eyebrow. "Yo, you alright?"

I jumped a little, but quickly composed myself again as I half-heartedly laughed and scratched my cheek. "Yeah, I'm fine... Just tired from what happened last night."

He blinked like he was clueless as to what I was talking about, but quickly seemed to remember and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Oh. Sorry about that... It looks like your Gardevoir's still a little sour about that."

I turned to look at Ann, who was deep in thought. It looked like she wasn't going to snap out of it any time soon so I looked back at Tobi and waved his comment off. "Don't worry about it so much. You're sorry, aren't you?"

Tobi just nodded and I grinned. "Then that's good enough for me. So what's up?"

He seemed to brighten up slightly and gave a small smirk. "Nothin' much. I was kinda wondering if you were a trainer yourself." I listened intently and found no lies in his voice: only eagerness and excitement. I found myself smiling and making a slight nod. "I guess you can say that. My pokemon aren't really in a fighting mood though. We're just out here traveling."

His face dropped a little, but he was still cheerful. "I see..." He closed his eyes for a few moments, apparently deep in thought, until they quickly opened. His voice was full of the same feelings he had when he asked his first question, albeit louder than before. "Well, how about I travel with you then?"

I blinked for a moment as I tried to answer. That is, until I heard a loud thud behind me. I turned around and saw Ann on the floor, moaning in pain. I winced and quickly rushed over to help her up. As much as I hate seeing someone in pain, her's managed to save me from a whole load of awkward silences. I extended a hand for her to grab as she sat up, rubbing her backside. "Ann, you alright?"

She looked up and saw me with my hand held out. Immediately, she started blushing and looked away. "I-I'm fine!"

She tried to get back up, but almost fell if it weren't for me steadying her. She seemed to grow redder and looked away from me again. I sighed again and helped her back to the chair she was sitting on before turning back to Tobi. "Sorry. Er... You were saying?"

"You wanna travel together?"

"O-Oh, um..." I felt a sudden spike of emotion coming from next to me and saw Ann glaring at me. I turned to Tobi with a sigh and scratched my head. "Do you, uh, mind if I discuss this with my pokemon first? Ann doesn't really trust you with what happened last night..."

Tobi seemed to understand and nodded as he got up from his chair. "No worries. Just give me a holler once you made up your mind." With that being said, he turned around and walked out of the cabin, closing the door behind him.

[Ann's POV]

I kept an eye on the trainer, Tobi, as he walked out and shut the door behind him. After a few seconds, I decided he was far away enough and sighed deeply. Gale, still in his human form, sighed at the same exact time. Then, all of a sudden, two white lights flashed from the pokeballs on Gale's belt. The outlines of Trace's and Jill's bodies formed and then their actual bodies popped out. That little trick scared the living crap out of me and pretty much got me on the floor. Again.

Jill and Trace began stretching their bodies with a few grunts and some audible cracking. Gale chuckled a little, causing Trace to look at him bitterly. "I hate you _so_ much right now..."

Jill twisted her neck, creating a sickening crack that made me cringe. She, on the other hand, looked completely at ease and stretched her arms as she spoke. "Quit complainin'. I actually kinda like it in there."

I grumbled a little while the two began bickering as I slowly got up from the ground, dusting myself off. As I was doing so, Gale decided to cough into his fist, grabbing everyone's attention. I looked up as he began to speak. "I'm pretty sure you two heard that, right?"

Trace and Jill both nodded. Jill crossed her arms and held her head down as she closed her eyes and spoke. "Well... Iunno. He seems like a decent human. But you can't keep that transformation up for the whole journey, can you?"

Silence filled the room as Gale crossed his arms in response, looking like he was racking his brain for an answer. After a moment or two, he answered. "Hmm... I feel like I can keep this up for quite a while actually. How long, I can't say for sure."

Jill and Trace both nodded, but Trace was the one to speak up this time. "Even so, what if he finds out about us? What's to say he won't try to do something to us?"

Gale looked up at Trace and frowned. "Well..."

Normally, I'd be reserved and all when people were talking. But they're just completely ignoring me, like I wasn't even there. Whatever it was, something snapped and I cleared my throat loudly. Before I knew it, I got everyone's eyes drawn to me. My mind went completely blank when I looked at everyone else. Mentally, I banged my head against the walls of my mind, cursing at myself. Gale was the one who decided to speak up. "Honestly, this could work out for us."

Me, including Trace and Jill, just stared at Gale like he had two heads. He honestly thought that this was a good idea? He seemed to be uncomfortable under the pressure we were exerting as he laughed nervously and scratched his cheek. "What? My gut's telling me we can trust him."

Surprisingly, the other two dropped their shellshocked look and replaced them with an understanding one. If that wasn't enough, they nodded too. I, on the other hand, was completely flabbergasted. "W-Wait! Y-You're saying you two are relying on his _gut_?!"

Gale looked at me amusedly. "You sure you're a Gardevoir? My master always told me to trust my gut. He said his Gallade saved his behind countless times by gut instincts."

Trace and Jill both nodded and Jill said, "I figured all you psychic-types had some kinda sixth sense or somethin'. Gale here found us shelter and kept us safe half the time trusting his guts."

Looking back, I_ did_ have times when something like that happened. Whenever I feel off, something bad happens. Looks like not training on my psychic powers seemed to have dulled this sort of sixth sense of danger. My musings were broken by Gale clapping twice, gaining my attention. "Well! I guess it's decided. No objections?" None of us made an attempt to say anything to him. "Good!"

He walked out the door and called out to Tobi. Seconds later, both came in the cabin, looking like they've struck gold, Tobi especially. "Sorry if it seems like I'm butting in guys, but I'm stoked to travel with you four!"

Gale smiled and mentally sent a message to all three of us. _**"Get ready to pack up you guys, and toss me your bags. I'll brief you on where we're going next as we walk."**_

[Gale's POV]

We started traveling as soon as possible when I recalled Trace and Jill. Ann didn't have a pokeball to reside in, so she had to walk next to me. And, I have to admit, Tobi isn't as bad a human as I thought. In fact, he reminds me a little bit of master's younger self. From the stories of his past, he was kind, adventurous, a tad bit energetic, and a big pokemon lover. Tobi fit this description to a T, which I found comforting.

Ann seemed to have gotten quiet, but I could feel the uneasiness rolling off of her. Seeing as how this was a better time than any, I opened up the channel between our minds. _**"Alright, so you wanted answers."**_

Ann immediately perked up and nodded vigorously. _**"You know it."**_

"_**Hm... Well where to start..." **_I looked up and saw Tobi happily walking ahead. **_"Well. I'll start off with my human form. My master left me a book, containing the history of our world. As to what I found... Well, let's just say I came upon this form somewhere in the beginning of the book."_**

She kept her face blank, but I could tell from the way her energy was fluctuating, she was anything but calm. _**"Okay... Then, what about the pokeballs? How do you explain that?"**_

"_**I was wondering when you were going to hit upon that. Well, you see, our master left us presents, as well as our pokeballs before he... Passed on. It really has a bunch of perks. Even if a trainer were to spot us, they can't catch us since we're technically still our master's pokemon. It's very convenient and convincing, since it'll make my human form look more like a trainer. We entrust each other with our pokeballs, as you saw back in the cabin. I have Jill's, Jill has Trace's, and Trace has mine."**_

I figured she was trying to let all the information soak in since she kept quiet throughout the whole explanation and for the first half of our trip.

After a couple of minutes, Tobi decided to take a break and called out his own pokemon to bask in the wonderful shade the trees provided. And his pokemon were definitely interesting. Aside from the Weavile and Mightyena, he had a Vibrava and a black Charizard. His four pokemon turned and gazed at me, looking rather suspiciously towards me.

Tobi seemed to notice this and laughed. "It's alright guys, we're cool."

That seemed to do the trick, as all four of them stopped staring at me and relaxed under the shade. I, with Ann, slumped under the shade too. The trip had been rather mentally exhausting for both of us. Tobi saw this and said, "Well, how about I introduce you to the gang, Gale?"

"Here's Marie, Houdini, Kathy, and G." He gestured to the Weavile, Mightyena, Vibrava, and Charizard as he introduced them in order. They all gave a short greeting before slumping down under the shade.

I smiled at all of them and took out the two pokeballs at my side. I activated them and tossed them up, releasing Trace and Jill as they stretched. "I'll introduce you to my team then. The Sceptile here is Trace and the Scrafty is Jill." They smiled and nodded at Tobi's pokemon and Tobi himself.

All was well and I was about to seriously consider a nap until I heard footsteps and the sound of laughter. I looked up and Tobi did too, only he had a frown and a face that painfully stated, "For-the-love-of-Arceus-why?" Pretty soon, my eyes laid upon the source of the now-obnoxious laughter.

He was a human male, looking around the same age as Tobi. He had blonde hair, combed in a way that just screamed rich and posh. He had on an outfit that did the same, being mainly white and what I thought was tailor-made just for him. If that weren't enough, he had chilly blue eyes and a face that obviously didn't see any of us as friends. "Well, well... Look at what we have here... Tobi, I see you made a new friend."

Tobi let out a small growl from his throat before he spoke. "Tyler... What're you doing here?"

Tyler looked like he was hurt, but it was clear he was just kidding around. "Ah, my _dear _cousin, is that any way to say hello?"

I decided to ignore what ever was going on between the two apparent cousins before I felt a spike of emotion coming from Ann. I turned to her and saw her entire body tense. If that wasn't enough, her eyes, at least to me, were really readable; I sensed pain, loneliness, and, most of all, anger. Seeing as how things were going to get out of hand, I decided to force open the channel between our minds. _**"Ann. What's wrong?"**_

She clenched her teeth as she turned to me, the full blunt of her anger running down my spine. _**"It's him... The brat of a trainer that made two years of my life an actual living hell."**_

**Youwillneverknow, if you thought last chapter was "DUN DUN DUN!", what is this? Yes, I am introducing the trainer that made Ann's life hell for two years. I still have many more twists up my sleeve though. To tell you the truth, it's actually rather uncomfortable.**

**Anywayyyyyyyyy, y'all do what you do. Don't expect weekly updates, but know that I will update unless I say I won't.**

**As a side note, I meant to post this last night. I can be rather forgetful... I know, I'm ashamed of myself as well. Hope you enjoyed the chapter anyway!**


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